SAN MARCOS, Texas – The Texas State University, University of Texas and UTSA Athletics Departments announced Thursday that the Bobcats will play a football game at Texas in 2026 and renew its football home-and-home I-35 rivalry series against UTSA beginning in 2023.

"With games in San Marcos, Austin and San Antonio, this is a great way for our football fans along the I-35 corridor to watch Bobcat Football," said Texas State Athletic Director Larry Teis. "We have an intense rivalry with UTSA in all sports, and fans from both schools have strongly supported those contests." 
 
The game at Texas will be played on Sept. 5, 2026, and it marks the first time in school history that the Bobcats will play a football game in Darrell K. Royal Memorial Stadium.
 
The Longhorns will be the fifth school from the Big 12 Conference that the Bobcats will face. In previous seasons, Texas State has competed against Baylor, Oklahoma State, TCU, and Texas Tech.
 
Texas State and UTSA meet for the fourth time when the Bobcats host the Roadrunners on Sept. 12, 2020. Following the 2020 season, the two schools will renew their football home-and-home series beginning in 2023.
 
In the new agreement, the Bobcats and Roadrunners alternate venues, playing in San Antonio on Sept. 9, 2023, and again on Sept. 6, 2025. Sandwiched in between those two games is a contest at Bobcat Stadium on Sept. 7, 2024.
 
Texas State opens 2026 playing against the Longhorns in Austin on Sept. 5, before hosting the Roadrunners on Sept. 12.
 
That contest will be the second of four games played in San Marcos. Texas State also hosts UTSA on Sept. 9, 2028, and on Sept. 7, 2030.
 
In addition, the Bobcats play UTSA in San Antonio on Sept. 11, 2027, on Sept. 8, 2029, and on Sept. 6, 2031.